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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The following summarizes the Douglas County Forest Comprehensive Land-Use Plan 2006-2020, a comprehensive document for guiding the management and use of the Douglas County Forest over the course of the next 15 years. The county forest system of Wisconsin, approximately 2.35 million acres of forest land in 29 of the state’s 72 counties, comprises 15 percent of the forested area in Wisconsin. At 272,795 acres, the Douglas County Forest represents the largest expanse of county forest in the State, making it a truly priceless public asset. The management of the Douglas County Forest has been an evolving process, beginning with the first entry of land under Forest Crop Law in 1931. In 1963, legislation was passed that statutorily required each county forest to prepare a forest plan every 10 years. The initial plan, written in 1965, focused primarily on the supply of raw materials to the timber industry and reducing costs to taxpayers while increasing job opportunities. Major revisions in the plans in 1976, 1986, and 1996 incorporated new knowledge and reflected changing management philosophies and cultural values. The current fifth generation planning effort incorporates a landscape management-based approach. In landscape management, the overarching goal of forest sustainability is achieved by preserving the array of land resources, uses, and values for current and future generations. Today, the Douglas County Forest provides an abundance of high-quality forest products that help support Wisconsin’s $28 billion forest products industry that employs nearly 100,000 people. When viewed from another perspective, the County Forest represents nearly a 300,000 acre water treatment plant and air purification system. The Forest also provides recreational opportunities and mineral resources as well as an aesthetic setting that is vital for the County’s tourism industry. When taken as a whole, the forest is the second largest publicly owned habitat for plants and animals in the State behind only the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The Douglas County Forest constitutes a functioning biological system with intrinsic values to be held in public trust for future generations.